Do you know that Singapore's most expensive burgerc costs S$250, with proceeds going to the Children's Charity Association? That is part of the reason why I have heard of this place, but also because Lombardo's seemed to have pretty good burgers (touted as Amsterdam's Best Burger restaurant) and they are near where I work so I could meet up with a dear friend. We decided to check it out last week over lunch, which was when I witnessed a 24 carat gold leaf bun in the making. That's probably someone's metal intake for a lifetime.

It's as if you ask someone to think of the most hyped, expensive ingredients and throw it all together in a burger. But hey, it's for charity so no complaining! Great PR idea in fact to introduce the restaurant to Singaporeans who love to eat and have plenty of money to do charity (while at it!). This is how it looks like.

Source: Lombardo's Singapore

Here's how the restaurant is like, nestled at the end of the walkway on Duxton Road as you walk down from Littered with Books.

Hailing from Amsterdam, Lombardo's is their first branch overseas and they couldn't have picked a better spot, I reckon!

Cosy shophouse interior, as all the shophouses around are like here. There's absolutely no greasy smells so you can eat here during lunch without worrying of smelling like anything after going back to the office.

A sort of open 'deli' counter area where the magic is assembled is also available if you want to watch the burgers being made.

Funny writing on the wall. I agree. You can do it but it's gon be weird.

Here are the menus for Lombardo's Singapore. For those who want something lighter, go for their classic or sandwiches. Click on them for the full size in a new window.

I was looking forward to the Hold the Beef Burgers but sadly they are currently unavailable!

Prices are slightly steep compared to nearby lunch prices but for dinner they are super.

And here's my Dutch Cheese burger (S$22.50) from the classic menu! We both got the same thing. later found out that the seedy bun is actually a collab with Tiong Bahru Bakery and they baked this for Lombardo's. It is always great to hear whenever there's collaboration in F&B - especially with a local and foreign shop! The bun was sturdy but not dry, with the seeds they make for an interesting foil for the patty.

I love the patty by the way. So juicy and beefy with the right amount of bite. It's no wagyu - the black angus beef was treated with care and paired with their secret burger sauce (so good) and a couple of tangy pickles. Yum. If I am eating beef nowadays, I make sure they are a good one. These are really worth it.

Anyway, here's my super short and sweet review for Lombardo's because I only had that burger, even though during our time there at least TWO diners got the $250 burger. On a random Tuesday lunch time. So back to my original point about Singaporeans. Anyway, I will be back in future to check out their rest because that was really fine.

Hi guys! If you have not already read about these new snacks from Cemani.sg you might not have been the most updated. So here I am to tell you about these fried chicken skins in 4 different flavours - mala, tom yum, salted egg and original because they are the bomb dot com. Ayam Cemani is actually the name of a rare, black chicken (seriously, google it) but as a brand from Singapore, they make chicken skin snacks with 99% fat removed so you can indulge HEALTHILY.

Also if you quote "ALEXIS20" now on the site you get 20% off with min. of 3 packs in a box with FREE SHIPPING, which equals to $8 per pack, till 31 Oct!

My favourite is actually a toss up between the salted egg and tangy tom yum. The original version needs to be eaten fresh - if you let the pack sit for a bit after opening, it gets slightly stale and the oily taste is more apparent.

The 3-pack is a super good deal which is perfect for parties, or just chilling at home watching TV :P

Here I am trying the mala version which is SUPER SPICY, so be warned. If you can't take spice like me, just one is enough to send you over the edge.

Thanks Cemani.sg and Brand Cellar for sending these addictive snacks across! If you want yours go to www.cemani.sg and quote ALEXIS20 for your 20%!

Maybe I'm old school, but I think going to a romantic restaurant for a dinner date is still one of the most simple but sweet idea for couples. And many a times I hope (!) that someone is searching to find that perfect restaurant to go for a date in Singapore, with its generic mall-restaurants dotting every corner of the city. Because if you do, you're in luck. Dusk Restaurant and Bar at Faber Peak is the perfect destination just for that! I've heard about this place for a while but never got around to get there (#singlebutnotmingling) so I happily accepted when the One Faber Group invited me to try out their new refreshed menu! After a complimentary cable car ride from Habourfront up to Mt Faber, I was greeted by this sight.

I was also greeted by these, which was equally welcome. The sweet, frozen Smoking-Nitro Lychee Margarita cocktail (S$16) and the food we were going to taste all laid out, basking in the Dusk (hur pun intended) light.

Here are the menus, which included new additions like Duck Confit (sadly sold out that day!) and retained mainstays like their Tiger Prawn Capellini. Click to view the menus in full-size in a new window!

Here are their cocktail menus, featuring some very cool Nitro cocktails. Or beer towers, if that's how you roll. The cable car operates till later with the last ride down at 11.30pm on Fridays and Saturdays so you can stay and chill before going somewhere else to party (or sleep, like me haha).

The wine selection.

Anyway, on to the food! First up some tapas to start. Among it, the Crab & Mango Stack (S$18) made with jumbo crabmeat, tomatoes, mango, avocado and cress was probably my fav. It was refreshing with a mixture of textures like the creamy avo with the tart mango alongside generous scoops of sweet crabmeat. 3.5/5

Then we got some of that delicious Duck Rillette Au Gratin (S$22) on some ciabatta toast. This was probably the same duck that was made into a confit, which we did not have the chance to try this time! The rilette version though was very agreeable. 3.5/5

The Wine Poached Oysters (S$22) looked interesting but since I am not a fan of cooked oysters, I skipped out on it. They were poached with white wine, Italian white sauce and topped with ikura.

We tried 2 mains. The first, a Pan Seared Red Snapper (S$28) with mango salsa feels like a really safe option for those going on a date and not wanting to overeat (there's steak and pork options). A clean, simply-made fish is the perfect choice! It was really quite enjoyable because its difficult to mess this up if you have a piece of good fish. 4/5

Then the final carb dish at the end of everything - the famous Tiger Prawn Capellini (S$28) with lobster-infused oil coating the the sautéed angle hair pasta. This is Dusk Restaurant's signature dish and I can see why! The oil based thin pasta is a perfect foil to carry the umami flavours and showcase the sweet fresh taste of the big bouncy prawns. A little bit reminiscent of our Asian dry prawn noodles, but this is much more atas, of course! 4/5

We also ended the tasting with some really indulgent Guinness Chocolate Cake (S$18) which is the classic sweet ending that couples will probably order. Despite that, it is a very creamy and delicate dessert. A little too sweet for me, TBH, but then again I find my sweet tooth to be in decline. There's a lychee crumble or a homemade cheesecake as an alternative, if chocolate is not your thing. 3/5

Here's the sun setting at dusk, at Dusk. Hur. Sorry couldn't resist.

Of course if you're looking for a nice romantic spot for a dinner date, I highly recommend Dusk Restaurant and Bar. Or even a sweet small gathering between friends and family with their gorgeous alfresco deck. While the food and drinks are not absolute top nosh, you get your money's worth with the ambience, views and company so no complaints!

I've been meaning to check out the cheekily named Izy Fook, a modern Asian fusion restaurant on Club St, for the longest time now. I think I've been to Izy, the Japanese iteration in its past life before. However it has changed, perhaps for the better, now that local signature classics have been introduced to the land of Western bistros and bars in the area with names all starting with "Le" - including the spa. We went, uninvited, on a random Tuesday evening this week and ordered a few dishes to share.

It's a rather longish restaurant with a bar stretching inwards to the open kitchen. There's more regular tables after that inside for more intimate dining! A good thing despite the open kitchen - no smells or grease at all so no worries on that.

Here are their cocktail and food menus - both a single piece of paper, which I like. We tried the Italian Sparkling (S$13) and the Pinot Grigio (S$13), both of which are really agreeable. Their signature cocktails also seemed rather interesting, and falls on the more affordable side of pricing.

When asked for reccos, we were told that among the small plates, the lamb tacos, crispy tofu, cereal soft shell prawns and bok choy could be considered (I think - couldn't remember exactly). The Char Siu is also a must-try, which I already knew from social media :P Along with the Prawn Mee Pok. We got those two, as well as the lamb tacos and tofu.

The Lamb Masala Tacos (S$16) were given to us to DIY. That's great because I could exclude the greens and just slather on some tender lamb and luxurious masala sauce on the soft taco. There's a slight lamb-y taste that I definitely picked out, but I wasn't too perturbed since the masala balanced it out. We asked for a bit more tacos in the end because there's some more masala to soak up! 3.5/5

The Crispy Tofu (S$11) was a pleasant surprise, looking more like a delectable piece of fish than just beancurd. The play on textures is obvious and the chilli gave it a nice kick. 4/5

Next was the signature charcoal Char Siu (small, S$10) which did not disappoint. The honeyed barbecue pork was incredibly soft and melt-in-the-mouth in the middle while the outside had a bit of a caramelised crunch with its sticky, sweet and slightly charred layer. It was almost too sinful to consider it as a side dish. 4/5

Next, the Superior Prawn Mee Pok (S$19) with de-shelled tiger prawns, strips of lup cheong and ebi shrimp swimming in a sweet, seafood umami broth coating the al dente flat noodles aka mee pok. We both really enjoyed this carbolicious dish and it is definitely better to share the calories than to order a bowl for yourself. 4.5/5

YuM!

Unfortunately that's all our stomachs could handle and dessert was skipped out in lieu for another drink elsewhere. Regardless, I think Izy Fook is a great little place for dinner and drinks in Club St if you're looking for something a little less 'expat-y' but do not want to go full on hawker. Go try it if you are in the area!

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I'm Alexis Cheong - A Singapore food and lifestyle blogger. Passionate about good food, travel and beauty or gadgets. This blog is a place where I want to share all the things I love with over 17,700 views per month. Feel free to contact me to say hello or find out how we can collaborate.